Fan.



No. 769,676. PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904,

S. R. BACHTEL.

PAN.

APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 28, 1901.

NO MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Fig. 1.

WITNESSES IN VENTOH A TTORNEYS.

Np. 769,676. PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904.

S. R. BACHTEL.

FAN.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28, 1901. NO MODEL.

ZSHEBTS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOH fiamuel RBackteZ 151%? W {W ATTORNEYS.

Patented September 6, 190%.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL R. BACHTEL, OF LAFAYETTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS DUNCAN, OFLAFAYETTE, INDIANA.

FAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0.*769,676, datedSeptember 6, 1904.

Application filed October 28, 1901. Serial No. 80,245. (No model.)

To (All whont it Tim/ concern/.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL R. BAoHTEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lafayette, in the county of Tippecanoe and State of Indiana,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fans, (Case No.1,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to fan-motors, and has for its object the provisionof an improved motor construction by means of which the rotating fanportion thereof is adapted to 5 cause either a rotary motion of thefansup port about an axis or to change the direction of rotationintermittently, thereby causing an oscillatory movement of said fansupport, whereby it is possible to spread the effect of 0 the air-blastemanating from the fan throughout an angular space which. may be variedfrom Zero to three hundred and sixty degrees.

In the preferred form of my invention the air-blast emanating from thefan causes oscil- 2 5 latory movement of the fan-support, by virtue ofwhich construction I am enabled to pro- (liJCG a most effectivedistribution of the airb ast.

My invention further contemplates im- 3 proved means whereby thefan-axis is given a varied angular position with respect to the verticalaxis about which the support is rotatable, my improved constructioncontemplating additional means whereby the direction of the angularposition with respect to the axis of the support may be reversed atwill, sothat the direction of rotation of the support may be changed, ifdesired.

My invention also has for its object a gen- 4 eral improved constructionfor motors of this type, as will be hereinafter more specifically setforth.

' I will describe one embodiment of my invention as applied particularlyto an electrically-driven fan by reference to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a fan-motorconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional viewon line a a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of 5 the controllingmechanism. Fig. A is a detail sectional view of a brush-holder. Fig. 5is a top view of the brush-holder shown in Fig. 4.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout thedifferent figures. 5 5

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1, I have shown a pedestal 1, uponwhich my improved fan-motor may be mounted, said pedestal pivotallysupporting a motor-containing casing 2, which is constructed,preferably, in 0 two parts and secured together by means of bolts 3. Anyrotating or oscillating mounting 2 for the fan will satisfy manyembodiments of my invention.

The manner of pivotally mounting the mo- 6 5 tor and fan supportingframe 2 upon the pedestal 1 preferably comprises two steel washers 14:,JVlIICl1 are provided with grooves adapted to receive steel balls 55, the two washers, together with the interposed balls, being mount- 7ed on the top of the pedestal 1. The casing 2 has a hollow extension orneck 6, about which said steel washers 4 4 are adapted to loosely fit,the removal of said washers from the said neck being prevented by meansof a collar 7, sprung into a groove about the neck 6. The washers 4iiare held in place upon the pedestal 1 by means of a collar 8, which hasthreaded engagement with said pedestal. By means of this constructionthe casing 2 may revolve about its vertical axis while still retaining asecure and firm mounting therefor, as the collar 7 prevents the casingfrom being withdrawn through the washers I, while the said washers areheld in place upon 8 5 the pedestal 1 by means of the collar 8. Ahard-rubber bushing 9 is fitted tightly into the neck 6 and serves bothas an insulatingsleeve through which the lead-wires to the motor in themotor-casing may be passed, as 9 well as providing a suitable mountingfor two collector-rings 1O 10, with which said leadwires are adapted tobe connected.

Current is supplied to the collector-rings 1O 10 by means of brushes 1112, suitably mounted upon a hollow standard 13, secure within thepedestal 1 by means of a fibe block 14;. The standard 13 is providedwith resistance-coils connected to buttons 15, suitably secured upon thefiber block 14, one terminal of the said resistance being connecteddirectly with the brush 11. The remaining brush 12 is adapted forconnection with an electric circuit, the remaining terminal of theelectric supply-circuit being connected to an arm 16, pivotally mountedupon the block 14, which arm is adapted to engage the contactbuttons 15,having connection with the resistance-coils provided in the standard 13,thereby to effect a change of speed in the operation of thedriving-motor. The collectorrings 1O supply current conducted to them tobrushes 17 17, which engage a commutator 18, electrically connected withthe armature 19 of a motor. One of the field-coils 20 of the motor isshown mounted upon a core 21, which is held in place in the casing 2 bymeans of ledges or lugs 22, formed upon the inside of said casing,suflicient pressure be ing exerted by means of the bolts 3. The armatureand field-coils are preferably connected in series, so that all thecurrent passes through the brushes 17.

The armature 19 is mounted upon a shaft 23, which is revoluble insuitable bearings provided in the casing 2. The power developed by themotor is transferred to the fan-blades by means of a flexible shaft 24,this flexible shaft being connected to a shaft 25, provided with asuitable spider 26 for supporting the fan-blades 27. The shaft ismounted with- I in a suitable bearing 28, provided within an adjustableshell or support 29. also carries a guard 30, which surrounds thefan-blades 27. The adjustable shell 29 is provided with a spherical end,which is clamped lnto the spherical socket provided in a revolvlngsleeve or bearing 31 by means of a nut 32. The axis of the bearing 31 ispreferably coincident with the axis of the motor. The fan-blades,together with their guard 30, may thus be adjusted to any desirableangle with respect to the vertical axis about which the casing 2 may berevolved, so that if power is supplied to the motor and the fan-bladesactuated by reason of the angular displacement of the shaft 25 a bodilymovement of the fanblades, together with the whole supportingcasing 2,will be caused in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2.

The revolving sleeve 31, upon which the guard and the fan-blades aresupported, is rotatably mounted within a circular aperture provided inthe casing 2, said circular aperture having an annular groove 33 adaptedto receive steel balls 34, which steel balls are adapted to act asbearing-surfaces for said revolving sleeve 31, a collar 35 being securedto said revolving sleeve and also engaging said steel balls 34, wherebythe said revolving sleeve is held in position and may be readilyrevolved about an axis, in this par- 5 ticular instance coinciding withthe axis of The shell 29 the armature of the motor. The revolving sleeve31 would with the construction so far described revolve, together withthe fanblades and the guard 30, about its axis in a directioncorresponding to the direction of the rotating shaft of the motor, dueto the friction of the shaft 25 in its bearing 28.

In order to hold the revolving casing normally in a position of rest, alug 36 is provided upon the interior periphery of said sleeve, which lugis adapted to be engaged by either of the arms 37 37 of an escapement38, which escapement is pivotally mounted in a bearing 39, provided uponthe casing 2. As is apparent from Fig. 2, the lug 36 prevents the sleevefrom rotating in the direction of the shaft, as the said lug engages onearm 37 of the escapement 38. The escapement 38 is provided with anangular extension 40, which is adapted to engage fixedly-secured detents41 41, mounted upon collars 42, held in place upon the pedestal 1. Anengagement of the angular extension 40 with either detent 41 will shiftthe position of the escapement 38 so as to release the arm which hadhitherto been in association with the lug 36 and places the remainingarm in a position to prevent a movement of said sleeve when said lugcomes in contact therewith, thus permitting of a periodic angularmovement of the said sleeve about its axis.

The improved means which I employ for adjustably mounting the brushes 17consists in a supportinginsulating-bushing43, secured to the casing 2,which bushing serves to hold a supporting-annulus 44 by means of a nut45, having screw-threaded engagement with said annulus 44. The leadwiresare also adapted to be secured in place and have electrical connectionwith said annulus 44 through the agency of the nut 45, acting inassociation with the bushing 43. A plunger 46 travels within the annulus44, said plunger having a pin 47 adapted to slide within a slot 48,provided in said annulus, whereby a rotation of said plunger relative tothe said annulus is prevented. The plunger is thus adapted forlongitudinal movement within said annulus, so that a perfect engagementbetween the brushes 17 and the commutator may be effected. A spring 49,acting against said plunger, serves to push the brush against thecommutator, the tension of said spring being regulated by means of a nut50, having screwthreaded engagement with the annulus 44.

The manner in which I secure the advantages obtained by my device willnow be apparent. The ball-and-socket joint comprising thespherical-shaped end 29 of the fanblade support is fastened in itssupport by means of the nut 22 in such manner that the axis of rotationof the fan-blades is placed diagonally with respect to the central axisabout which the casing 2 is rotatable. The casing 2, which is rotatableby means of the steel balls 5, may thus be revolved when the fan-bladesare started. When current is supplied to the motor through thecollector-rings 1O 10, the motor is caused to revolve, thereby rotatingthe flexible shaft 24: and the shaft upon which the fan-blades 27 aremounted. The consequent rotation of the fan-blades exerts a force inheating the air that tends to rotate the casing 2, which rotation wouldbe completed through three hundred and sixty degrees if nothingintervened to prevent such motion. In some embodiments of my inventionsuch complete circular motion will be of advantage; but to adapt thesame for use in confined areas Where the agitation need not be spreadover such a large are I provide means in connection with the rotatingfanblades by means of which their position is so changed that uponreaching a limiting position they will rotate the casing back to itsstarting-point. This is accomplished, as before stated, whenever theescapement 38 is pushed against either one of the detents t1, theposition of which detents may be regulated as desired.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, the rotatably-mounted escapement38 is shown as about to strike a detent 11, whereupon the saidescapement 38 will be rotated out of engagement with the lug 36, wherebyit is then possible for the rotating shaft 25, due to the frictionthereof in its bearing, to rotate the whole rotatably-mounted supportfor the fanblades about its axis, due to the steel balls 3a upon whichthe same is mounted. The fanblades, together with their support, willrevolve through an arc of approximately one hundred and eighty degreesor until the lug 36 engages the other arm 37 of the escapement 38. Thewhole rotatable support comprising the fan-blades, together with theirshaft and the guard, has now come to rest in a position which isangularly displaced from the axis about which the casing 2 is rotatable,but on the opposite side to the one on which it had been previouslydisplaced, then occupying the general position indicated by thedot-and-dash line. In this position the rotating fan-blades have atendency to rotate the casing 2 in a direction opposite to the one inwhich the said fan-blades previously served to rotate it, and acontinued rotation of the fan-blades or fan after rotary movement of thesleeve 31 has ceased will revolve the casing 2 back toward its originalposition that is, in a direction opposite to the one in which it wasrotating before the escapement 38 engaged the detent 41. The reverserotation of the casing 1 now brings the escapement 38 toward the otherdetent 4:1. Upon an engagement of the escapement with this second detent&1 the arm 37 which is at that particular time engaging the lug 36 isreleased from said engagement, and the rotatable sleeve 31 thereupon ispermitted to rotate about its axis, due to the mounting thereof upon thesteel balls 34, said rotation being caused by the friction of the shaft25 in its bearing. The fan-blades, together with their support and theguard, upon a completion of the retation of the rotating sleeve assumethe position they originally occupied, whereby the axis of rotation ofsaid fan-blades is again displaced to the first aforesaid side of theaxis relative to the axis of the rotating sleeve 2. The rotation of thefan-blade support toward its original position again places the lug 36into engagement with the first aforesaid arm 37, and the continuedrotation of the fan-blades again causes rotation of the casing 2 fromitsinitial position. It will thus be seen that I am enabled to providean oscillatory motion for the fan-blade-supporting casing whereby theagitation of the atmosphere over a limited are less than three hundredand sixty degrees may be secured. The size of the arc depends, ofcourse, upon the displacement of the detents 4:1, which detents actuatethe controlling mechanism for reversing the direction of the angulardisplacement between the fan-blade axis and the axis of the rotatingsleeve 2.

In the claims I have specified a fan as signifying the rotatable shaft,together with the fan-blades or its substantial equivalent, whereby ablast of air may be created due to the rotation thereof. It has beenapparent that the fan has, by means of the sleeve 31 and associatedparts, provided for it a bearing that is angularly displaced withrespect to the fans axis of rotation and that the fans axis isperiodically movable from side to side of the axis of this bearing. 1have shown a specific means whereby the axis about which the prime moveris bodily rotatable is made transverse to the prime movers own axis ofrotation, which of course is the axis of the armature. Other means maybe employed, however. The flexible shaft 24: constitutes the preferredmeans for effecting driving connection between the prime mover orarmature 19 and the fan, while the sleeve 31 constitutes the preferredform of rotatable mounting, bearing, or support for the fan to permit ofperiodic change of the fans axis with respect to the axis of saidsleeve. Other mech anism performing these functions may be employed,however, without departing from my invention; nor do I wish to belimited to the form of oscillating mounting 2 employed. I

IIO

prefer the flexible shaft 24, constitutingabent i shaft for the fan; butI do not wish to be limited thereto in all embodiments of the invention.

By the term oscillate used herein with respect to the position of thefans axis of rotation I mean a change in the position of the fans axisfrom side to side, which in the particular instance shown isaccomplished by the intermittent rotation of the sleeve 31 in a uniformdirection.

I/Vhile I have herein shown and particularly described one embodiment ofmy invention, it is obvious that changes and modifications may readilybe made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention, and Ido not, therefore, wish to be limited to the precise construction andarrangement herein shown nor to its operation by direct current; but,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination with a rotatable fan, of a movablesupport 2 therefor, means for driving said fan, a rotating bearing 31interposed between the fan and the said movable support, and meansserving to reverse the angular disposition of the fans axis relative tothe axis of the rotatable support thereby serving to rotate said supportin either direction, substantially as described.

v2. The combination with a fan, of a rotatable support 2 therefor, meansfor causing a rotation of said fan, said fan having its axis capable ofangular displacement with reference to that of the rotatable support,and a rotating sleeve 31 interposed between the said fan and the saidsupport for effectingachange in the direction of the angulardisplacement of the fan-axis relative to the axis of the rotatablesupport, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a rotatable fan, of a rotatably-mounted support2 for said fan, means for causing the rotation of said fan, a flexibleshaft interposed between the said means and the said fan to drive thesame and permit the change in the angular relation of the fans axis andthat of the support, a rotatably-mounted sleeve 31 interposed betweenthe fan and the said support, and an escapement cooperating with thesleeve to effect change in the adjustment of the fans axis, foreffecting a change in the direction of the angular displacement of thefans axis relative to the axis of the rotatable support, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination with a rotatable fan, of

a rotatably-mounted support 2 for said fan, means for causing a rotationof said fan, a flexible shaft interposed between the said means and thesaid fan, a rotatably-mounted sleeve, 31, interposed between the saidfan and the said support for effectinga change in the direction of thefans axis relative to the axis of the rotatable casing, an adjustablesupport 29, interposed between said fan and said sleeve to change theangular position of the fans axis, means for effecting a rotation ofsaid sleeve-bearing by the fan, and means periodically to prevent therotation of said sleeve, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a fan, ofa rotatable support 2 therefor, meansfor driving said fan, a flexible shaft interposed between the said meansand the said fan, a sleeve 31 rotatably mounted upon the said support,within which said fan is mounted, means whereby said fan is to cause arotation ofthe said sleeve, an adjustable support interposed betweensaid fan and said sleeve to change the angular position of the fansaxis, and means for preventing said fan from rotating said sleeve,substantially as described.

6. The combination with a fan, of a rotatable support 2 therefor, meansfor driving said fan, a flexible shaft interposed between the said meansand the said fan, a sleeve 31 rotatably mounted upon the said support,within which said fan is mounted, automatic means for adjusting theangular position of the said fan relative to the said rotatable sleeve,means whereby said fan is adapted to cause a rotation of the saidsleeve, and means for preventing said fan from rotating said sleeve,substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 24th day ofOctober, A. D. 1901.

SAMUEL R. BACHTEL.

Witnesses:

THOMAS DUNCAN, ERNEsT V. GRIFFIN.

